There are many variations of poker that all use the same ranking of hands. The suit as well as the number associated with each card is critical to determining who has the winning hand in any given poker game. Cards are ranked in order from Ace being the highest, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, and so forth. There are four suits. These suits are called hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds. 52 cards are used with the exception of the two jokers in most poker games such as seven card stud or Texas Hold’em because there are no wild cards. In poker the five best cards available to a player make up that player’s hand.

Hand Rankings

The best possible hand is Five of a Kind. This hand is possible only if wild cards are being used. For example, a player having four Aces and one wild card has the highest possible hand in poker because they have five of a kind. The next highest ranking five of a kind would be five Kings and so on.

The next best hand is called a Royal Flush. A Royal Flush consists of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and a 10 that are all of the same suit. After a Royal Flush, the Straight Flush is ranked highest. A Straight Flush consists of five consecutively numbered cards of the same suit.

Next is Four of a Kind. Four of a Kind consists of four cards of the same rank such as four Aces or four Jacks. A Full House is the next best hand in poker. A Full House is made by having three cards of the same rank and two other cards of the same rank. For example, a player having three Queens and two Jacks has a Full House.

After a Full House comes the Flush. A Flush consists of five cards that are in no particular ranked order but have the same suit. For example, a player having the cards Queen, eight, two, four, and King with all the cards being of the same suit is said to have a Flush.

The next best hand is a Straight. A Straight consists of five cards that are of any suit but are ranked in consecutive order. A hand of four, five, six, seven, and eight would be considered a Straight.

Three of a Kind comes after a Straight and is made by having three cards of the same rank such as three Kings or three eights.

Two pair follows closely behind and is made by having a two pairs of cards of the same rank. Thus, two Kings and two nines would be make two pair.

One Pair is next in line. When a player has a pair of cards that are of the same rank such as two Queens and nothing else that will improve their hand they are said to have a One Pair. When a player has no matches of any kind, their highest card determines the winner.